DUSHANBE, June 4, 2015, Asia-Plus – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has sent condolences to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the Monday night ferry disaster, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
Tajik leader also asked to convey his condolences to families and relatives of the victims of the ferry disaster.
Meanwhile, Chinese media outlets reported today the death toll from a ferry that capsized on China”s Yangtze River has risen to 65, but more than 370 people are still missing.
Only 14 survivors, including the captain, have been found since the ship carrying 456 people capsized in a freak tornado on Monday night, in what could be China”s worst shipping disaster in almost 70 years.
Among those on board the ship were 406 tourists, aged from around 50 to 80, on a tour organized by a Shanghai tour group, and 47 crew members, the People”s Daily said.
State radio reported that the ship overturned within about two minutes and that no distress call had been issued. Seven people swam to shore to raise the alarm, state media said.
The Hubei Daily, another official publication, said the ship had capsized in water that was about 15 meters deep.
The Eastern Star, which has the capacity to carry more than 500 people, was heading to southwest China”s Chongqing city from Nanjing, capital of east China”s Jiangsu Province. It sank at around 9:28 p.m. local time in the Jianli section of the river.
Accidents of this magnitude are uncommon in China, where major rivers are used for tours and cruises. The incident is the worst on the Yangtze since a tug undergoing sea trials sank in January, killing 22 of the 25 people on board.
The Eastern Star is owned by the Chongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation, which runs tours along the Three Gorges area along the Yangtze River.
